AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN | 131
Stepping up
“The entry steps and platforms
are designed for comfortable
striding,” says Claudia. The
path is 1.5m wide and the steps
have 350mm treads with
150mm risers. Pavers are
600x400mm granite tiles
from Amber Tiles.
Subtropical punch
Claudia has used a mix of
natives and exotics that thrive
in the subtropics, where long
periods of dry are followed
by humidity and heavy rain.
Behind a row of Liriope ‘Stripey
White’ is Rhaphiolepsis ‘Oriental
Pearl’. The plant with a
weeping habit (above right),
Casuarina ‘Shagpile’, is normally
a groundcover but in standard
form grows to about 1.2m high.A solid front
The front fence is built from
chunky, 400mm-thick blocks
of granite from nearby Valla
Quarry. The colourful stone is
a perfect match for the steel
screens. “The oxide from iron
in the granite echoes the tones of
the Corten steel,” says Claudia.Surfboards of steel
Steve is a keen surfer, so when
Claudia suggested Corten steel
screens for the front fence,
Sandy came up with the idea
of a surfboard motif. “It’s a
lovely quirk and a nice reference
to my love of surfing as well
as our coastal location,”
says Steve.
CLAUDIA NEVELL
Landscape designer and owner,
Garden ExpressionsThe project
Even before they fi nished building their
home on a cleared 1224m2 sloping site
in Coffs Harbour, on the NSW North
Coast, Steve Appleton and Sandy Smith
were keen to establish a garden. As soon
as the exterior walls of the house went
up, they turned to local landscape
designer Claudia Nevell. Screening a
neighbouring apartment block was top
of the owners’ wish list, along with a
preference for Australian natives. And
since there’s a 1.5m fall from the street to
the front of the house, the owners wanted
a sturdy front fence that would offer
both visual presence and protection.The solution
By importing soil and reshaping the
contours of the site, Claudia was able to
create gentle changes in level rather than
install retaining walls. This allowed for
deep, undulating garden beds and level
lawn areas, connected by wide steps
and paths. Quick-growing natives have
been used for screening, while a fence of
granite and Corten steel creates an
impressive entrance. The plant palette
consists of natives and exotics,
all suited to this subtropical climate.Designer statement
“It’s an interesting journey from the street
entrance to the bottom of the property,
on paths of different materials and
through different garden zones.” >